Leno and classic cars co-star at Concours this weekend in Boca Raton

He's based in Los Angeles, but comedian and car collector Jay Leno was born in New York, and he knows his early automotive history. And it didn't happen in California.

"The East still has the best cars — there's a longer automotive tradition in the east than in California — and so many of those collectors from Philadelphia or Boston end up in areas like Boca Raton, along with their car collections," Leno says. "I mean, it's the law, isn't it? That every retiree has to end up in Florida?"

At 60, Leno, host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, isn't ready to retire. But he will be in Boca Raton this weekend as the master of ceremonies for the Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance, which roughly translates from French as "competition of elegance." It's a car show, explaining Leno's attendance, but there's a lot more to the event.

In just five years, the Boca Raton Concours, founded by chairman and car dealer Rick Case of Fort Lauderdale, has become undeniably one of the top 10 car shows in the United States, and arguably one of the top five. Benefiting the Boy's Clubs and Girl's Clubs of Broward County, no one gets paid — including Leno.

"It has grown tremendously in such a short period," says Leno in a telephone interview. He would know — he hosted the first Boca Raton Concours, and now he's back for the fifth annual event. "There's no question it has become one of the premiere events."

The three-day event culminates in a presentation and awards ceremony Sunday at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, but activities begin Friday with the "duPont Registry Live!" hangar party, hosted by St. Petersburg car collector and magazine publisher Tom duPont, held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Boca Raton Airport. About 20 area restaurants will cater the event, and guests can view exotic and classic cars, airplanes, motorcycles, boats. Several winning Indianapolis 500 cars will also be no hand; a theme of the Concours is the Indianapolis 500, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this May.

Besides the race cars — including the car that carried A.J. Foyt to his first Indy 500 win in1961, to three racers that took Bobby Unser, brother Al Unser and Al Unser Jr. to Indy wins — all three Unsers will be at the show.

Saturday, there's the Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance Gala Dinner and Show Reception, which begins at 5:30 p.m., and ends at 10 p.m. It will follow a live auction and entertainment by Leno who will, incidentally, be the recipient of the Lee Iacocca Award, bestowed for his dedication to preserving classic cars.

And on Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m., it's the main event: About 200 of the top collector cars and motorcycles in the world will be displayed on the golf course at the Boca Raton Resort. (Case, incidentally, says he had to turn down 100 qualified cars and 30 motorcycles because there just isn't room). A panel of auto experts will judge the vehicles for "historical accuracy, technical merit and overall style." Leno himself will bestow "The Jay Leno Big Dog Garage Award" to the show entry of his choice. The show will also honor AutoNation founder H. Wayne Huizenga with the Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award.

This year's Concours will also feature Leno-related auction items, including a private tour for two of Leno's own Jay's Big Dog Garage in Southern California and two VIP tickets to attend The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Leno, who seldom attends auto shows on the East Coast, says he's looking forward to seeing the cars on display, many of which aren't shown west of the Mississippi River. Leno, for example, doesn't ship any of the 200 cars and motorcycles in his personal collection — "I don't want a car to get beat up on a 6,000-mile round trip." So he's expecting a lot of cars he either hasn't seen, or hasn't viewed for a long time.

"This event has something for everybody," Leno says. "Including a chance to see some of the neatest cars and motorcycles in the world."